Thread spool cabinet



Aug. 30, 1938. A. LISTER ET AL THREAD sPooL' CABINET J Filed Nov. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 G m i A d q. M 4. i

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Filed Nov. 20, 1956 Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES THREAD SPOOL CABINET Alfred Lister, Montclair, N. J.,' and Alfred B. Frenning, Greenwich, Conn, assignors to The Spool Cotton Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 20, 1936, Serial No. 111,776

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a novel and improved form of thread spool cabinet, the novel features of which will be best understood from the following description and the annexed drawings, in which we have shown a selected embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side View of the selected embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a section approximately on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on a reduced scale approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4, but with parts of the apparatus removed.

The cabinet is adapted to display spools of thread in ready position for inspection and for sale. For that purpose, we provide a plurality of rows of chambers I, each adapted to receive therein a stack of spools 2. Preferably, the rows of chambers are parallel and inclined to the horizontal at an angle of approximately 45. The chambers are also preferably of equal depth or length so that they may hold the same number of spools and so that the height of the entire device may be uniform, with the exception of course of the inclined front face 3.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each row of chambers is formed of two pieces of material, preferably continuous and indicated by the numerals 4 and 5. While this material may be of any suitable kind, nevertheless we prefer to use wood. The pieces 4 and 5 are provided with matching recesses 6 and l forming the chambers, and with contacting surfaces 8 at which the pieces may be secured together as by gluing, if the pieces are wood. If of other material, a fastening means may be used which is suitable for that material.

The two pieces 4 and 5, when thus formed and secured together, will form a unitary row of chambers, and the cabinet may be built up of any desired number of such units, which may be secured together along their contacting surfaces 9 by any means suitable to the material being used. For example, if the cabinet is made of wood, the surfaces 9- may be glued together. The back of the cabinet may be formed by a suitable vertical wall I0, and a vertical front wall it may also be placed at the lower end of the front row of chambers.

In each row, the piece 5, forming the rear walls of the chambers, is extended upwardly so that its top edge I 2 extends beyond the top edge I3 of the piece 4, forming the front walls of the.

chambers. The distance between these two edges is slightly greater than the height of a spool 2', and at the top edge I2 is provided a stop M which may be in the form of a continuous strip of Wood tacked or glued to the piece 5.

The parts of the pieces 4 and 5 which are disposed between the chambers form side walls for those chambers, and at their upper ends adjacent the uppermost spools in the respective stacks these side walls are preferably recessed as indicated at I5 so that the uppermost spool in each stack may be readily grasped by the fingers of the purchaser and removed. Then the stack may be forced upwardly by a compression spring l6, one of which is disposed in each chamber, and the stack is thus maintained with its uppermost spool always in contact with the stop at the top of that chamber. Each spring reacts against an abutment I! which, as best shown in Fig. 5, is disposed in aligned recesses l8 (Fig. 6) in the pieces 4 and 5. Here again this abutment may be made of Wood and glued in place, if desired.

From the above it will be seen that we have provided a cabinet which is easily and cheaply made, which is regular in form, which is of substantially uniform height and dimensions so that it may be easily boxed and shipped, and which will display the spools of thread to be sold in such manner that they may be readily seen and as readily removed by the purchaser. It will also be seen that the color of the thread on the spool at the top of each stack is readily seen and, as best seen in Fig. 3, the top end of each spool 2 is likewise partially visible so that the designating numerals or other insignia on the end of the spool may be readily seen. The stops also provide a convenient support for strips H] of paper upon which may be placed identifying marks to identify the spools in the chambers beneath the stops.

Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will also be apparent that various changes in details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

We claim:

A thread spool cabinet comprising a plurality of parallel rows of chambers, a row of chambers being formed by two pieces of continuous material secured together and having matching recesses forming the chambers, each chamber being adapted to receive a stack of spools arranged end to end, the piece of material forming the rear walls of said chambers extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of the piece forming the front walls for a distance greater than the height of a spool, said piece forming the rear wall having aligned recesses in said part which extends upwardly beyond the other piece, a stop at the top of said piece forming the rear Walls of said chambers, a spring in each chamber adapted to force the stack of spools against/said stop, and an abutment for said spring extending through aligned recesses in said pieces.

ALFRED LISTER. ALFRED B. FRENNING. 

